Softwr

E-Commerce · head to head

Square vs Toast

Square logo

Square

E-Commerce

Powering the economy

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Toast logo

Toast

E-Commerce

Cloud POS platform for restaurants and hospitality

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Square plus plan pricing not specified in documentation; Toast starter tier lacks advanced features; most capabilities require paid plans above $69/month
  • They diverge on capability: Square covers Payment processing, Toast covers Order management.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Square and Toast actually diverge.

Attributes where Square and Toast differ
AttributeSquareToast
Pricing modelfreemiumUnknown
PlatformsPOS (Mobile app), WebWeb, iOS, Android, Tablets, Web browsers
Founded20092011

Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), user rating (Not yet rated), category (E-Commerce).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in Square

  • Payment processing
  • Invoicing
  • Payroll
  • Banking
  • QuickBooks
  • WooCommerce
  • Wix
  • PCI DSS

Only in Toast

  • Order management
  • Kitchen display system
  • Employee scheduling
  • Customer management
  • Inventory tracking
  • Analytics & reporting
  • Delivery integration

Both cover

  • Point of sale

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Square

  • Accept payments with all-in-one POS applicationnot Toast
  • Online ordering and basic website creationnot Toast
  • Invoicing and appointment bookingnot Toast
  • Staff scheduling and loyalty programmesnot Toast

Toast

No use cases recorded yet. See the Toast review.

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Square

  • Plus plan pricing not specified in documentation
  • Processing fees differ by tier but exact rates not detailed
  • Free plan pricing mentioned but specific features for Plus unclear
  • Text marketing charged at 3¢ per message after first 500 included

Toast

  • Starter tier lacks advanced features; most capabilities require paid plans above $69/month
  • No free tier for advanced features like employee scheduling, inventory, or loyalty programs
  • Setup and training time required for complex multi-location deployments
  • Payment processing tied to Toast ecosystem; limited flexibility for alternative payment processors
  • Hardware costs can be substantial for full-featured setups with multiple terminals and kitchen displays

Pricing, plan by plan

Square

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Accept payments with all-in-one POS app
    • Online site builder (ordering profiles, basic websites, online stores, booking sites)
    • Item library and inventory tracking
  • Plus$null/mo
    • All Free plan features
    • Advanced POS features for food, retail, and appointments
    • Lower processing fees on card transactions

Toast

Free
  • Starter KitFree
    • Cloud-based POS
    • Payment processing
    • 1-2 terminals
  • Point of Sale$69/month
    • Custom hardware configurations
    • Advanced reporting
    • Core POS features

Which should you pick?

Choose Square if

  • You need payment processing.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on POS (Mobile app), Web.
  • You also want invoicing.
Square review

Choose Toast if

  • You need order management.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, iOS, Android, Tablets, Web browsers.
  • You also want kitchen display system.
Toast review

Questions people ask

Is Square or Toast better?
Neither clearly leads. Square starts at Free and Toast at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Square or Toast?
Square starts at Free and Toast at Free.
Does Square or Toast run on more platforms?
Square runs on POS (Mobile app), Web. Toast runs on Web, iOS, Android, Tablets, Web browsers.
Can I use Square for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Square best used for?
Square is most often used for accept payments with all-in-one pos application, online ordering and basic website creation, invoicing and appointment booking, staff scheduling and loyalty programmes. Of those, accept payments with all-in-one pos application and online ordering and basic website creation are not what Toast is typically brought in for.
What can Square do that Toast cannot?
Square covers Payment processing, Invoicing, Payroll, Banking. Toast covers Order management, Kitchen display system, Employee scheduling, Customer management. Both handle Point of sale.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Square: Does Square offer a free plan?

Yes, Square's free plan includes an all-in-one POS app, online site builder, item library and inventory tracking, invoicing, appointment scheduling, staff calendars, and checking and savings account access. No subscription fees are charged.

Source
Toast: What is the cost of Toast POS?

Toast offers a free Starter Kit tier for one or two terminals with POS and payment processing at no upfront cost, though costs are built into payment processing rates. Paid plans start at $69/month for the Point of Sale plan, with Custom tier available via quote for advanced features.

Source
Square: What does Square Plus add compared to the free plan?

Square Plus adds advanced POS features for food and retail, lower processing fees on card transactions, custom loyalty programs, unlimited email marketing campaigns, text messaging, and staff scheduling and attendance tracking.

Source
Toast: Does Toast include online ordering?

Yes. Toast offers online ordering capabilities where customers can order via QR code while seated (Order & Pay) or through standalone online ordering integrated with the POS for kitchen automation.

Source
Toast: Does Toast offer drive-through capabilities?

Yes. In April 2026, Toast launched a drive-thru product supporting voice ordering through integrations, allowing restaurants to automate drive-through workflows.

Source
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